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October 17, 2001

By Compiled from wire service reports by Robert Kilborn and Stephanie Cook

WE'RE JUST FOLLOWING ORDERS

How tight is security at public places around the US these days? Answer: so tight that in Medford, Ore., guards wouldn't allow the featured star into the Jackson County Exposition Center to perform in his own show. It seems that singing legend Bob Dylan wasn't carrying a backstage pass as he approached the door. Worse, his face appeared totally unfamiliar, perhaps because the guards all are a generation younger. A scene ensued, the guards were "relocated," and Dylan finally entered.

I FEEL SO FOOLISH, OFFICER

Then there was the response in Chemnitz, Germany, when a retiree reported receiving a package mailed from the US that contained poison. Police and biohazards experts raced to the caller's address. So, did the object end up testing positive for some deadly substance? Well, no. In fact, the scare lasted only until one of the cops realized that the German word for poison, "gift," on the outside of the package was in English, where it has a completely different meaning. Inside was nothing more dangerous than a poster.

Moviegoers happy to pay for a dose of crime on celluloid

When it comes to crime on film, moviegoers appear to give violent a slight edge over comedic - if the latest box-office results mean anything. For the second straight weekend, "Training Day" was the top-grossing release across North America, edging the bank-robbery comedy "Bandits." "Training Day," which stars Denzel Washington as a corrupt narcotics detective, earned $13.6 million. Leading films at North American theaters Oct. 12-14 (in millions):